Missouri Eclipse Task Force announces Solar Eclipse Expo 2023

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (KFVS) - The Missouri Eclipse Task Force announced that an all-day expo will be held Saturday, July 22 at the Show-Me Center in Cape Girardeau, Missouri.

The expo is designed to raise awareness and prepare the public for solar eclipses that North America will experience on October 14, 2023, and April 8, 2024.

According to a release from Perry County Heritage Tourism, the state of Mo. will experience a partial eclipse on both dates with portions of southeast Mo. experiencing over four minutes of totality on April 8, 2024. This nearly doubles the length of the totality of the 2017 Total Solar Eclipse.

The event is sponsored by Southeast Missouri State University and Visit Cape. It is free for the public to attend if they pre-register and free for qualifying organizations to host an exhibit. Additionally, free eclipse glasses will be given to attendees while supplies last.

The expo will feature exhibits by area cities, schools, parks and tourism groups about their plans for viewing the eclipse. National, regional and local eclipse experts, including representatives of NASA, will provide eclipse and solar science presentations, according to the release.

The expo will include 80 exhibits, educational opportunities for children and door prizes.

Additionally, the release said vendors will host exhibits displaying the latest in astronomical and colar viewing equipment and activities will be provided for children to learn more about solar science and astronomy. With weather permitting, amateur astronomers will provide telescopes for free and safe viewing of the sun by the public.

Free tickets are available on the SEMO Eclipse Expo website. There is also a section on the site for organizations to request a booth to exhibit. All other information can be found here.